Canowindra

Situated on the Belubula River, Canowindra is a historic township and largest population centre in Cabonne Shire and is located between Orange and Cowra in the central west of New South Wales, Australia.

Situated on the Belubula River, Canowindra is a historic township and largest population centre in Cabonne Shire and is located between Orange and Cowra in the central west of New South Wales, Australia. The curving main street, Gaskill Street, is partly an urban conservation area. At the 2016 census, Canowindra and the surrounding area had a population of 2,258.

Prior to the arrival of Europeans to Australia, the area now known as Canowindra was occupied for tens of thousands of years by a people known as the Wiradjuri. These "people of the three rivers" were hunters and gatherers who exploited the resources available in the rivers and the lands, particularly the river flats.

The first land grant of 640 acres to a European in the area was to James Collits by Governor Ralph Darling in 1829 as a reward for "pointing out a line of road from Mt. York to Bathurst". Subsequently, Collits' father, Pierce, was granted land adjacent to the original grant. There is some evidence that James named the property "Canoundra". Collits owned other significant tracts of land in the area, together with a store and the first hotel. A settlement slowly grew, and as early as 1844 the village was the site of a government pound.A post office opened at Canowindra in 1847 with mail coming from Carcoar, but the village was handicapped as part of a main route to the lower Lachlan, first by the lack of a bridge and later by the construction of the railway to Orange.The first bridge across the Belubula River at Canowindra was opened on 28 July 1875. It was replaced by the Waddell Bridge in May 1901, and by the current John Grant Bridge in 1997.

Gold has been mined at Canowindra; the Blue Jacket, Grant's Reef, Blue Maxwell, and Gospel Oak Mines, were located near the town.

Bushrangers made four significant incursions at Canowindra within the space of a year, the first of which occurred in September 1863.Late on Saturday morning, 26 September 1863, the bushrangers John Gilbert and Ben Hall, with three other gang members, arrived at Albert Rothery's 'Clifden' station at Limestone Creek, south-west of Carcoar, where they bailed up the occupants and "partook of dinner – regaling themselves with champagne and brandy". From Rothery's the bushrangers proceeded to Canowindra, arriving at the township at six o’clock in the afternoon.They firstly detained Constable Sykes, the only policeman stationed at Canowindra, and took him to Robinson's public-house.O’Meally and Burke remained at the inn while Hall, Gilbert and Vane "went on a foraging expedition" to the two stores in the township, belonging to Pierce and Hilliar, taking a quantity of men's clothing and three pounds in cash.They then adjourned to Robinson's house and ordered tea.The publican and his wife had departed for Bathurst, leaving Robinson's sister and "the two Miss Flanagan’s in charge of the house".After they had eaten "Gilbert very politely requested one of the young ladies to play him a tune on the piano".Later in the evening a dance was proposed, which "continued till daylight the next morning".A number of the town's residents had also been brought to the public-house and it was reported that "the night’s amusement" was "spoken of as one of the jolliest affairs that has ever taken place in that small town".In the morning Hall, Vane and Burke rode to ‘Bangaroo’ station in search of horses, but finding none, returned to Canowindra where Gilbert informed them that troopers were camped on the opposite side of the Belubula River, now in full flood, waiting for the waters to subside.With the exception of Burke, the bushrangers crossed the flooded stream and camped on a hill overlooking the town.Burke crossed the next morning after the waters had dropped, after which the gang rode into "very rough country" to evade the police.On Monday morning, 12 October 1863, John Gilbert, Ben Hall and John O’Meally returned to Canowindra and "held it against all comers" for three days and nights, "their proceedings being characterised by a cool audacity, which has hitherto been unequalled".The bushrangers stuck up the stores andpublic-houses in the township and established a base at William Robinson's public-house.Gang-members guarded the approaches to the town, and anybody who made an appearance was taken into custody and brought to the hotel.Their captives were told they must remain at the hotel, but they "might call for whatever [they] liked at the bushrangers’ expense".On learning of the bushrangers’ incursion, the local policeman, Constable Sykes, had started for Eugowra.However he was met on the road by the bushrangers and turned back.The outlaws confiscated his firearms and handcuffs and took him to Robinson's public-house, telling him "to go in and enjoy himself till he received further orders".Each dray and their horse- or bullock-teams that arrived during the three days were stopped; eventually numbering about twelve to fourteen, the teamsters were "lodged, fed and supplied with drink, free of expense" and no attempt was made by the bushrangers to interfere with their loads.At one stage Gilbert purchased a bundle of cigars and threw them on one of the tables in the hotel for anyone who cared to smoke them.A "pile of sweetmeats" was also provided for the enjoyment of all.It was believed that the bushrangers were expecting a gold escort to arrive at the township.Mid-morning on the Tuesday three landholders and businessmen from the Forbes district, Hibberson, Twaddell and Kirkpatrick, drove up to the hotel, where Ben Hall informed them they were to be detained.As they got down from their vehicle John O’Meally saw that Kirkpatrick was carrying a revolver, and held his own weapon at Kirkpatrick's head, "compelled him to give it up"."A first-class dinner was ordered" for the three squatters, "and the cost of this as well as everything else called for was defrayed by the gang".By the third day there were about forty people detained at the hotel.During the occupation the bushrangers only drank bottled ale and porter, insisting that the corks be drawn in their presence.The outlaws engaged in a variety of amusements, of which target shooting was a favourite.For those who resided in the neighbourhood wishing to visit their homes, a leave of absence was granted providing it did not exceed an hour.The bushrangers departed on the afternoon of the third day.That evening the bushrangers stuck up Thomas Grant's station on the Belubula River and burned it down as vengeance on the owner who had, on a previous occasion, given information to the police about their likely whereabouts.In the early hours of Wednesday morning, 4 November 1863, Gilbert, Hall and O'Meally went to Robinson's public-house in Canowindra and knocked on the door.Upon opening, the publican William Robinson "was confronted by Ben Hall, holding two revolvers levelled at him".Hall asked if there were any police in the house and then the three bushrangers "entered the bar and drank nobblers".They stopped for about a quarter of an hour.When they left they took two bottles of port-wine and two of Old Tom gin, for which they offered to pay with a £5 note.On Tuesday, 21 June 1864, Ben Hall and two companions entered Pierce's store at Canowindra "without attracting notice".Finding the proprietor, John Pierce, alone they bailed him up and robbed him of about ten pounds in cash as well as goods from the store.In the belief he had further money hidden away the bushrangers burnt portions of the account books, but to no avail.They then took him six miles into the bush and tied him to a tree, threatening him with death and urging that he must procure £300 from his brother in Carcoar.Pierce was eventually freed when he was able to convince Hall and his men that no money could be obtained.